Noor
by Xazz
Summary: -DISCONTINUED- "Noor?" He asked when the cat came over, begging to be picked up. He picked her up and set her on the counter. "Hmmm, Noor, I like it," he said and Noor sat on the counter wrapping her tail around her feet as if to say 'it'll do.'
1. Chapter 1

Oh god... oh god. I admit I don't know what I'm doing with my life with this fic. I started writing it just after Clipped and we see exactly what sort of retarded place my mind is.

Kinkmeme request: Okay who here knows Ranma ½? For those of you who don't it involves cursed springs that after you fall into one of them you change shape. From then on whenever you are doused with cold water you turn into your cursed form and warm water changes you back.

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><p>Malik wasn't in the best mood after his trip to the market. He hadn't been stopped by any guards but instead had had to deal with a proverbial flock of beggars because he gave a few coins to a boy on the street. Their voices rang in his ears like annoying birds as he headed back to the bureau. He'd closed it up while he'd been gone though as he walked back he thought of all he had to do on top of dealing with informants and assassins and novices that dropped by. He had a pretty popular cartography and calligraphy shop that always had at least some business since people always needed letters drafted or such but didn't actually know someone who could write formally. Or they needed maps of this city or that city and he was happy to oblige them.<p>

He was almost back to the bureau when he heard cats fighting nearby. It wasn't common nor was it uncommon, though a bit less since this was the rich district. He was about to walk down the lane to his shop when suddenly three cats shot out of an alley and fought right there in the street, two of them ganging up on the one and clawing and beating it into a proverbial pulp.

He quickly put down his purchases and kicked the two cats beating on the other one who was now just laying there rather motionless. The cats yowled and spat at Malik but he just kicked them again and they fled off down the street. Satisfied the bullies had been chased off Malik looked down at the other cat with a frown. Some of its fur had been ripped out and it had a large bloody wound on it's left thigh. Gingerly he reached down and picked it up, cradling it in his elbow before going back to collect his bag from the street.

Once he'd unlocked the door he put his purchases behind the counter before placing the cat on it and moving his things aside. The cat mewed at him, obviously in pain and he gently scratched it behind the ears, "No worries little one, I'll see to your wounds," he said gently. Malik admitted he had a bit of a soft spot for small helpless animals like this white cat. It gave a half hearted purr before putting it's head back down on the table as Malik got the things he needed to doctor up the wound and there was nothing he could do about the missing fur. He used water from the fountain in the garden and when he went to wash the wound the cat freaked out and jumped to its feet, favoring it's hurt leg before falling strait off the counter.

"Stupid cat," Malik snapped and quickly went to check and make sure it hadn't hurt itself worse. "It's just some water," he picked it up and it squirmed in his arm as he set it back down. "Just water," he shoved the bowl of water under the cat's nose and it tentatively took a drink before suddenly calming down. "Allah," he grumbled a curse and finally was able to treat the cat's wound and wrapping it in bandages. "There you are, you'll be back to your old self in no time," he scratched it on the head and it gave its leg a tentative stretch before shaking it's head quickly and licking Malik's fingers. "Yeah yeah," he muttered trying not to sound pleased when it purred.

He put the cat off to the side and he was sure that if it wasn't for its bum leg it would have insisted on being on the counter while Malik did his work. He knew it had to belong to someone since it was so friendly and its pale dappled fur was amazingly well cared for. Also explained why those two alley cats had almost killed it, thing must not have been used to being out in the streets. Thankfully the cat stayed where he left as he worked and didn't bother him, instead preferring to sleep and be lazy. When dinner came around he gave it a little bit of meat and some water before working some more as the cat slept.

When he went to bed that night he took the cat with him and after checking it's leg set it on his bed. As he started to remove his clothing the cat looked away and pressed its face into the blankets in a bashful manner, Malik just laughed at it before sliding into bed. The cat mewed at him as he settled down and blew out the nearby lamp.

—

The next morning he found the cat standing on his chest looking down at him with intensely amber eyes. "What do you want?" he grumbled irritably, he was not a morning person in the slightest. The gray creature just meowed at him and walked crookedly across his chest before hopping off the bed and going to the hidden door that separated the back from the front of the bureau. "Fine," he groaned and got out of the bed, the cat immediately puffed up all it's fur as it stared at him. "What's it to you, dumb cat," he muttered before pulling his loose fitting Dai robe over his naked form and opened the door, the cat practically sprinted out the door into the front garden area where it tried to climb out via the open lattice.

It was having a terrible time though and barely managed to make it into the empty fountain trough without hurting itself. "Stop that," he scolded it as it tried to climb up the fountain, opening its wound in the process. He snatched it by the scruff of it's neck and it squirmed as he walked it over to one of the large potted plants and plopped it down. "There, do your business," he said and the cat gave him this withering look as if to say 'I can't do it with you _watching me_." With a roll of his eyes Malik went back into the back room leaving the cat to conduct its own self while he dressed properly for the day.

He changed the bandages on its leg before making breakfast and the cat followed him everywhere, getting underfoot and rubbing against his ankles till Malik locked it in a box under his counter. When he went to go get it after he'd opened his shop he found it sulking in the back of the box, what a touchy, melodramatic cat. It reminded him of a certain novice who was also always seeming to blunder about despite good intentions, only that idiot was not nearly as nice to have around as the cat since unlike it he just made the place uglier with his presence. At least the cat was respectable. "I'm sorry for locking you in a box," Malik said and for a second wondered why he was talking to the cat and why he had been before. He looked up and saw no one there before ducking back down, "But honestly, a man can't get any work done with you around."

It wasn't until he'd used food that the cat came out though, as every time he tried touch it it tried to scratch his hand and hissed at him. It was placated with food though and seemed in a better mood once Malik had fed it. Once it was fed it tried and failed to jump up onto the counter and ended up only catching it with it's forelimbs before sliding off onto its ass making Malik chuckle and lift it onto the counter where it batted at his hand with sheathed claws. Lively little bastard.

A few people came into his store that day and they all commented on the cat who was either curled up on the counter, it's bum leg sticking out awkwardly, or was pacing carefully around the space Malik worked begging for a scratch on the head or rump. The patrons were more than happy to lavish it with affections and it ate it up, mewing cutely when anyone paid it even a bit of attention, unless it was sleeping of course, and several people asked what it's name was. Malik didn't have an answer, he hadn't thought about keeping it, but he pretty much knew if he put it back out on the streets it'd probably get mauled to death for doing something stupid. He didn't have anyone he could just give it too either. By the end of the day he'd come to the conclusion that… he now owned a cat, as awkward as that was with a coop full of pigeons on the roof.

Now they just needed a name.

—

The next morning Malik again woke up with the cat prodding him awake, kneading its paws into his shoulder urgently. He yawned and crawled out of bed and opened the door for it a little before falling back into bed. He was going to start leaving the door open a little so it could just come and go as it pleased and didn't have to wake him up so early. He slept for a bit more till it started mewing. He tried to ignore it but it pounced on him and bit his ear. He jerked awake throwing the cat across the bed crossly.

It glared at him and puffed its fur out before finding his foot and biting his toe, he had to refrain from kicking it and instead just shoved it aside and got up out of bed to dress. He'd just pulled his pants on, which was proving difficult since the cat was all around his ankles, when he chanced a glance out the door which had swung open a bit more since he'd first opened it. There was a form slumped in the garden, and they weren't moving.

He left his room pulling on his shirt and went into the front area. The cat, upon seeing where he was going, had run awkwardly over to the downed man and sat by his head. For a moment he was afraid it was Altair, and that he was dead. Not that he particularly wanted to care but the Master would be furious if Altair was dead. As he got closer he saw it wasn't Altair, but another assassin in need of help if the blood on the tile was any indication.

"Brother, are you alive?" Malik asked gently rolling the man over. The man just groaned and Malik got to see a rather large cut on his chest. He frowned and helped the man to his feet and stumbling he led him into the back room where any member of the brotherhood could rest hurt or not. Once he had the man in a bed he undressed him and treated his wound. He didn't recognize him though which wasn't good though the Master had sent a pigeon that another assassin was coming to Jerusalem to take out a target, not as important as Altair's though.

Thinking on it where was that novice? He hadn't seen Altair in two days and while not terribly strange it was a bit odd since he usually came back to the bureau to sleep in the garden. He wasn't dead at least, for if he was the guards would be partying in the streets.

After making sure the assassin was comfortable and he'd cleaned up Malik finished dressing, ate something, fed the cat and opened his shop for business. The cat found its way onto his desk, how it managed without his help he wasn't exactly sure but there it was on his desk. "I bet you think you're really something don't you?" Malik said, somehow not feeling foolish talking to it since when it looked at him when he talked he got the impression it really could understand him, as fanciful as that thinking was. The cat just mewed at him but looked plenty smug. "You ham," he informed it and scratched it behind the ears making it purr. "You need a name," the cat shook it's head rapidly. "Hmm, what should I call you?" he mused and thought on it.

As he thought he took to drafting a map of Jerusalem for a client who'd requested it. He could practically draw the city in his sleep but it never hurt to be diligent, plus it let his mind be occupied by other things. "Asad," Malik finally said after musing about a name, the cat just looked at him like 'no'. "Okay okay, hmmm, Fudail," he said after a moment and the cat gave him the same look, "Yes, you're right, you don't have he character for such a name," and it gave him this infuriated look. "Jamal," the cat wasn't impressed. "Kadar," he couldn't believe why he'd said that as a name for it but it was definitely out since it seemed especially upset by it. "Numair," no reaction to that one except for a flick of the ears, dumb cat. "Are you even a boy cat?" he asked himself suddenly since he'd just been assuming it was a male. The cat made a noise of protest as Malik grabbed it and one handed inspected it, it spat at him angrily as he did so and jumped away when he let it go looking _amazingly insulted_. "Okay, not a boy cat," he said thoughtfully. It was like this knowledge infuriated her and she stalked back and forth across his desk as best she could with one mangled leg, tail tip twitching erratically.

Truthfully Malik didn't know many feminine names, he didn't even know many women at all besides the women in the garden back at Masyaf who helped the brothers with their needs. He didn't know any of their names though. He went into his civilian log book and started flipping through it looking for names that were both pleasant on the eyes and ears. The cat was beautiful after all and now that he knew it was a female it needed an equally beautiful name. "Adara?" he asked more to himself and the cat glared at him furiously. "Cala," he didn't like that one though and scoffed it, "Bahira," that one got him a swipe with sheathed claws, definitely not that one. He tried a few more names but either he didn't like them or the cat seemed insulted by them.

Finally he sighed and sat back, "Well if you're so smart why don't you pick one," he huffed at the feline who just looked at him like he was retarded, a very cat-like expression. Before it could go on someone came into the shop, it was a man with his young daughter, a scarf over her hair and neck but her face was displayed cheerfully.

"Hello sir," Malik said standing in greeting.

"Papa, papa, the man has a kitty," the little girl said excitedly.

"Hush child," he gently scolded her.

"It is no mind sir, she loves the attention," Malik said and indeed the cat was leaning down from the counter to inspect the girl's face straining to not fall off. "How can I help you?" he asked and the man let his daughter go so she could touch the cat which gladly jumped off the counter to be lavished with affection.

"I need some invitations made," said the man.

"Of course, what do you need them to say?" Malik said pulling out a piece of paper and pulling his inks and quills to him.

Twenty minutes later he'd gotten all the details from the man and received half of the payment to begin working on them. The man had to pull his daughter away from the cat who was eating up the attention like it never got any in it's life. "Bye bye Noor," the girl said as she got up from her knees and left with her father, waving to Malik as she did.

Once they were gone the cat padded over to him, "Noor?" he asked as the cat reached up to put her paws on his leg wanting to be back on the counter. He picked her up and set her on the counter. "Hmmm, Noor, I like it," he said and Noor sat on the counter wrapping her tail around her feet as if to say 'it'll do.'


	2. Chapter 2

Malik checked on his hurt brother throughout the next few days till they were healed enough to be up and walking, around the same time Malik felt comfortable taking the bandages off Noor's leg. The assassin, named Hasim, really liked Noor and whenever got a chance pet her. Noor for her part did not like Hasim, though she seemed to tolerate his affections, seemingly only when Malik was present however. Once Malik had tried to get Noor to sleep in the same area as Hasim to help him sleep. Noor however was having none of it and yowled until Malik let her out of the other room in which she sauntered right up to Malik's back and slumped down imediatly as if claiming it her domain.

He also still had not seen Altair, he expected to see him at least once but the man never showed. He was starting to grow worried.

"Hasim," Malik said as the assassin came out from the back room. He was mostly healed now and still had a mission to complete.

"Yes rafiq?"

"While you're out will you look for someone for me?"

"Who?"

"Altair," he said.

"Altair is in the city?" Hasim seemed excited by this news and Malik almost groaned, another of Altair's fanboys. Noor seemed equally disgusted and made a little huffing noise in her throat. "I surely will," he promised.

"If you see him tell him to report back here immediately," Malik ordered.

"Yes, of course," Hasim nodded and left via the lattice.

Malik frowned and pulled out some work, those invitations for that man of the daughter who had named Noor. Noor herself stretched out on the counter nosing his sleeve. "What?" he asked the spotted silver sat, she mewed at him getting to her feet and nosing his hand. "I'm not worried," he informed her and she shook her head, making her ears flap, an unimpressed gesture if there ever was one. "The Master would be very angry if anything happened to him and it would be _my_ neck on the line if he ended up dead," she just gave him a look. He squinted at her, "Stop looking at me like that, I have work to do," he said and went to work.

Noor walked around Malik's hands, staying just out of reach of actually touching anything and once or twice the tip of her tail flicked his wrist or his shoulder. At least she wasn't walking in the ink again so he didn't complain since it seemed that when he did she went out of her way to bother him more. He'd had to lock her in the back at least once as well because of that though she didn't seem to have a problem with that and he'd found her curled up in the sheets purring when he'd gone to give her dinner.

Finally she decided to stop pacing and settled on the counter on his left side, thankfully out of his way and he was able to work in peace. Neither Hasim nor Altair returned to the bureau that night and while he did not worry for Hasim he did for Altair. Almost a week had passed and still he hadn't returned.

The next day he woke up and found Noor was not sleeping in the bed with him as she preferred. He figured she was in the front since he left the door open now a bit for her and thought nothing of it. He dressed normally and made himself breakfast before going out to open the shop. "Noor," he called since usually she appeared when he called her name. She didn't though. "Noor," he called again with a frown. He searched the place but didn't find her anywhere. Great, first Altair, then Hasim, now the cat. Everyone who came into this bureau seemed to just vanish.

He grumbled as he sat back down at his stool. Noor was probably just hiding and being sulky, she did that sometimes. She'd come out when she was hungry or wanted attention so he did his best not to think about it and did his work. A few customers came in that day, as did some of his informants, both of which he took very seriously though there was more gravity in the way he spoke to the informants.

As it got dark Noor still hadn't shown herself and he was very worried. What if she'd gotten out somehow? Before he could worry his head off though a rather interesting surprise dropped down from the roof and walked into the bureau. "Safety and peace Malik," Altair said, his voice gravely as if he had not used it for some time.

"Where have you been novice?" Malik snapped at him. Altair didn't have an answer. "Well" he demanded.

"I was looking for my target of course," Altair said crossly, "What else could I possibly be doing?"

Malik scowled at him, in an extra bad mood because Noor was still missing. "You would find _something_ I'm sure," he said. "Tell me you have some good news than for all this time you've been gone."

At least Altair nodded, he wasn't totally incompetent it seemed. He relayed his information to Malik who deemed it good, but not enough to earn a feather. There were too many variables that could cause something to go wrong, Altair needed more information. Altair groaned when he said that, a soft noise, hardly there sort of sound that displayed his displeasure and annoyance. Malik just snapped at him telling him that if he wanted to regain his place he'd better be willing to work for it. After that Altair had escaped up the fountain wall and Malik didn't care where he went. As long as Altair wasn't dead the idiot could honestly go do whatever he wanted.

He was getting ready for bed when Noor sauntered into the room. "There you are," and he scooped her into his arm. She licked his face apologetically, her tongue rough on his cheek. "I was worried sick about you all day, where did you go?" he demanded and she just blinked at him. Of course she wouldn't actually answer. He let her drop out of his arm and she landed with a thump on the bed, watching him finish getting ready for bed. When he lay down she curled up right by his shoulder and he heard her purring softly.

—

The next day Noor found herself back on his counter where she belonged though she seemed sort of depressed by something that he wasn't quite sure of. She didn't bother him for attention and when someone came into the shop she sort of pretended they weren't there, so whatever it was was serious since she normally let a free hand go without petting her.

Around mid day Hasim returned with news that he had seen Altair, though only at a distance, so Malik was reassured he was alive still, and also came for his own feather. As he didn't have as high a profile target as Altair nor was he as annoying (his fan-boyish tendencies non withstanding) Malik gave it over and Hasim was off again. He noticed that was Hasim was there Noor had made herself scarce and only came out again once he was gone.

"What? You don't like Hasim, is that it?" he asked her as she sat on his desk. She only blinked at him. "What has gotten into today hmm?" he asked reaching over and scratching her behind the ears, she just closed her eyes but didn't start purring like she usually did. He frowned and lifted her up from under her front legs and dragged her into his lap. She let him, hanging from his fingers like a rag doll before she was in his lap. "And where did you go yesterday?" he asked though knew he'd get no answer, which almost irked him. He was used to getting answers when he asked them but he'd get none from Noor.

She mewed at him but did nothing else, only laying across his lap like something boneless and useless. Finally he groaned, "Well I don't know what it is," he huffed and gave her tail a light tug. She looked at him with an annoyed expression, maybe even angry. "What?" he asked and she got to her feet balancing on his thighs. He thought for a moment she was looking at him like Altair did when he was angry, her amber eyes bright and unlike Malik's hot temper her and Altair's fury were cold as ice. "What?" he demanded and she just turned away and jumped off his lap and went out into the courtyard and he heard a light scraping of stone.

He got to his feet and walked around his desk in time to see Noor scramble up the fountain wall. If he wasn't shocked he would have been impressed. "Noor," he called going over to the fountain as she reached the top. She turned and looked down at him. "Is that how you got out last time?" he frowned, she just blinked at him, still displeased. "Come back down here, it's dangerous out there," but she just turned around and left.

He cursed and rubbed his face. Should he go after her? He had to run the bureau though. Something annoying ate as his stomach though that he couldn't just let her go, if he did she might get hurt, and she'd come back all sulky, who knew what she'd gotten into. Cursing again he locked up quickly and took the stairs up to the roof and searched the nearby rooftops. He spotted her silver spotted pelt a few rooftops away padding leisurely away. Frowning he took off after her.

Thankfully he wasn't so out of shape or practice that transversing rooftops was difficult nor was it frightening despite the almost twenty foot drops. He took paths around the archers on the roofs cursing Noor for being a cat and thus not at all being stalled by them as she transverse the rooftops. At one point he lost track of her because he had to go some distance around some archers only to find her again on the roof of one of the bath houses in the Jewish district. What she was doing here he had no idea though. He was even more surprised when she slipped into one of the vents and he quickly climbed down from the roofs and entered the bath house as well. He only could guess where she'd gone but didn't see her as he checked the place out.

He did get a surprise though when he spotted a familiar figure step out of one of the hot bath rooms that billowed with steam. "Altair?" Malik was very confused since Altair hated water and true baths, preferring to simply use a rag and basin to clean.

He blinked at Malik, stunned to see him. "What are you doing here?" he growled and pulled up his hood which had been down and hiding the confusion and shock in his eyes.

"I could ask the same."

"I am working, and you are bothering me," he said shoving past Malik who turned with a frown. Altair wasn't wearing any of his armor or gear, only his robes, which seemed very odd to him since Malik knew he didn't go anywhere without his blade.

He could worry about Noor later, she could obviously take care of herself since she was gone the entire day and had come back in as good shape as she had before. He followed after Altair and grabbed him by the arm. "Wait a moment," he said and Altair turned and though he couldn't see his eyes he knew the other man was glaring at him. "Where are your things?" he demanded, "Don't tell me you lost them, or that they got stolen."

"No such thing happened," he growled ripping his arm away. "I came here to bathe and left them somewhere safe."

Altair was speaking but the words did not compute, they were wrong and he knew Altair was _lying_. "You do not bathe," Malik said sharply, "I have known you for a long time and you hate bath houses. Do not lie to me Altair."

"You do not know everything Malik, leave me alone," he snapped and left the bath house. Malik frowned, now actually concerned since Altair wasn't hot headed like him, he was cold and calculating and for him to be showing such emotion, especially anger, meant that something was wrong. If something was wrong he could easily make a mistake on his mission and end up dead. He couldn't allow that. He followed Altair before pulling him sharply into an alley.

"What is wrong with you?" Malik demanded.

"What do you care? You're to busy preening over that dumb cat of yours."

"How did you know I got a cat? You did not even see them," Malik felt something ticking in his brain like he knew something but couldn't figure it out and it made him feel stupid.

"Hasim told me," Altair said.

Another lie, "Hasim said he only saw you at a distance so you shouldn't even know another assassin was even here. Altair, tell me what is going on, _now_."

"Why should I?" he growled right back.

"Fine, than you can just stay in Jerusalem until Al Mualim calls you back for your failure at your hit for you won't get a feather from me till you do," and he made to leave, he still wanted to look for Noor.

Altair grabbed his sleeved Malik looked over his shoulder curiously. "Fine," he said, the words hissing out of his mouth, "I'll tell you. I'll come back to the bureau later."

"Fine," Malik said firmly, "I'll be waiting," and Altair let go of his sleeve and left quickly as if he couldn't get away fast enough.


	3. Chapter 3

It was getting closer to sun down when Malik finally heard the soft 'pat' of someone falling through the open lattice over the garden. He'd been unable to do anything all day once he'd returned to the bureau, half concerned over Noor (who he hadn't found) and the other half concerned over whatever Altair was going to tell him. He wanted to know what was wrong with Altair since the man did not act out of turn without good reason.

He looked up quickly from the meaningless doodles and scratches he'd been making on the paper and quickly threw it away when he saw Altair. "So?" he asked stoutly ready for an explanation.

He saw Altair's lips become a thin line of discomfort before he said, "I need two basins of water."

"What?" he rose his brows in a confused manner.

"Do not question my request if you wish to know. Simply do," Altair growled.

"Fine," he sighed.

"One is to be warm water," Altair added.

"Fine," Malik said, "Help me with them, I only have one arm you know," and Altair growled wordlessly at him but went into the back and Malik handed him one basin while he took the other. They filled them at the fountain in the covered garden and Malik went to go heat one of them. Several minutes later when he came back he stopped short, almost spilling the water on himself when he saw Altair. Altair was standing in his bureau practically naked. His shirt and robes and hood removed and folded neatly on his desk, his boots lay crumpled to the side and his weapons and armor had been put near his clothing so all he was dressed in was his pants. Malik did not want to admit he was distracted by this, but he was. "Here," he put the basin on the counter keeping his eyes on Altair's face except to trace a scar that was slashed across his collar bone. "So? Will you explain now?" he demanded.

Altair sighed, his shoulders sagging and ran his three fingered hand through his hair as a nervous compulsion. What was interesting about that was that Altair did not get nervous. Well except around water. Malik's eyes stole down to the basin of cool water on the desk, the other Altair had put on the floor. "You're not going to like it," Altair told him and Malik's eyes jumped back up to his face. "You're really not going to like it," he sighed.

"I don't care. You owe me an explanation for your behavior and for failing to return to the bureau regularly as you're supposed to," Malik said crossly.

"Fine," he sighed, "I did warn you though," he said. Then much to his surprise Altair stepped forward and grabbed him by the front of his robe and pulled him close, "If you breath a word of this to anyone I will kill you Malik," he said seriously, his amber eyes blazing fiercely. "I don't care that you're my brother, or if you're the Master himself. I will kill you."

Malik swallowed. What was it that would make Altair go to such extremes? It must be a terrible secret to push him to something like that. He just nodded and Altair let him go. The half naked man picked up the basin from the counter and with a deep breath lifted it over his head and poured it on himself. "Idiot!" Malik shouted only to find he was shouting at nothing as the basin clattered to the floor. "A-Altair?" he demanded before he gave a shout of surprise as a cat jumped up onto his counter.

"Noor?" he asked. Where had she come from and why was she dripping wet? With a contempt air about her she sat and mewed at him. "How did you get in here?" and she just gave him this 'you are so stupid' look. "Hey!" and she jumped back down. He started to make his way around the counter as she neared the basin of hot water, "What are you-

He didn't see it happen, but heard the soft splash and the basin was scattered somewhere else. He came up short when Altair stood up, his back to him, this time he _was_ fully naked and like Noor dripping wet. Malik stared at him as something that should be incomprehensible ticked off in his brain. Blindly Altair reached behind him and found his robe which he pulled around himself so that he was no longer naked before facing Malik again. "There. I've explained myself."

Malik stared at him and was sure his mouth was hanging open, just a little at least. "W-what is this manner of wizardry!" he finally cried and took a few steps away from the dripping assassin. Altair did not answer. "Altair explain yourself this instant!" he yelled.

"I cannot," he said softly, his head lowered just slightly.

"What do you mean you cannot?" anger made Malik forget his unease of what had occurred. "You will explain why you turn into a cat right now or so help me I will-

"You will what?" Altair raised his head and glared at him. Malik floundered there, he didn't know what he'd do really. What could he do? "And I don't know. I could not explain it if I wanted. It simply happens," he said so seriously Malik had no doubt that he was speaking truthfully.

"How? Why?"

"I just said, I _don't know_," he snarled.

Malik just stared at him trying to understand. He just _didn't_ though. Altair had some sort of… magic. "Do you change yourself?" he asked.

"No. It is a curse," he admitted softly after a length of time.

"Of what sort then?"

Altair sighed, "You did not just see? Water changes me. Cold I become… _that_, and warm I become me again."

"That explains why you went to the bath house then," Malik admitted.

"Yes. It is hard to find hot water."

Then something occurred to Malik and he couldn't fight the flush that suddenly erupted across his face, "You've seen me naked," he accused Altair.

"Not for lack of trying not to," Altair said surprisingly calm about it and indeed that was true since Noor… no, Altair, always pressed her -his?- face into the bed whenever he dressed or undressed, or made a point to look away. "It is not as if I wanted to see," he continued and Malik didn't know if it was a trick of the light or what but he swore he saw a slight darkening to Altair's face.

Malik became aware then of a strange, uncomfortable, silence and he cleared his throat to be rid of it. "Will you tell me how you came about this curse?" he asked.

Altair folded his arms, frowning, "Will you give me the feather I require if I do?"

"This is not what is being bargained Altair. You will tell me and then get your chance to earn the feather you seek as you have the last time you were here," Malik said crossly. Altair growled at him and narrowed his eyes. "Or you could leave and explain to the Master why it is the man you sent to kill is still alive," he added.

"Very well," Altair spat, more than a little pissed. "I do not remember when or how I was inflicted with this malady. It happened before I came to Masyaf, I was bathing and…" he groaned softly and rubbed his face, "I became a cat. It frightened my parents since I had suddenly done so and they thought I was missing. It was three weeks before I figured out how to change myself back. Since then I try to stay away from cold water."

Malik frowned, "Do you have any thoughts about why this happened to you?" Malik asked.

"I don't know. A djinn took an interest in me? My family angered a sorcerer? What do you want me to say Malik? I turn into a fucking cat when I get wet and have no explanation for it, pick your favorite theory and run with it," the fact that he was so talkative was telling that Altair was upset. "Now, I've explained myself, can I have a dry pair of pants to continue my mission?" he asked.

Malik contemplated him a moment before leaving the desk and returning with a pair of trousers as well as several towels. "First," Malik said and held the towels up, "clean up this mess," Altair groaned and snatched the towels from his hand. Malik just smirked.

—

The next day when Altair left to try and earn his feather Malik had time to sort of what he'd been told yesterday. He'd been a bit too surprised to deal with the confession to wrap his head around it and he'd slept on it and was now able to deal with it.

Altair… turned into a cat.

A girl cat.

He laughed aloud at the thought. How humiliating, to suffer the indignity of being turned not only into another species, but another gender. It tickled Malik that that was how it turned out and with an amused smile he set to work.

Over the next few hours he rolled the idea over some more as he compared Altair's two personalities, one as a man, and the other as the silver spotted cat. They were different, but the same as well. Noor was a feisty thing who adored attention and affection from anyone with a set of hands, except for Hasim, though he forgave them for that. If Malik was Altair he wouldn't want a man so obviously enraptured by his reputation but never had met the man himself. He put that up against Altair's personality. He was standoffish, but fierce and preferred to be alone and sought no attention other than the Master's, who was clumsy with his attention at best. He didn't didn't seem to like Hasim though.

He wondered if Altair developed different personality traits when he was a cat. Maybe, why else would he seek such attention from everyone? Altair didn't care if people paid him any mind. That definitely explained it.

He looked up when Altair came into the bureau almost silently. "Safety and peace Malik," he recited and Malik tried not to be irritated by his existence. It was difficult. He looked Altair over as he greeted the Assassin and unbidden he remembered what he looked like without his robes. It made him even more irritant. He was sharp with Altair as the man told him of his plan for the regent of Jerusalem but ultimately they couldn't wait, not with a brother's life on the line. So he handed over the feather and Altair went to rest while Malik sent messages to a few of their fellows in the city about what was needed of them.

Hours passed, Altair stayed out of sight in the garden, going in and out of sleep which Malik recognized by the way he would droop for a period of time before sitting up strait. He couldn't imagine what it was that made Altair restless, he'd given his word to not share his secret. Malik put it out of his mind.

Then, when it was time, Altair stood, made sure he was fully equipped with all his gear, and then left. Malik frowned after him before busying himself with rather mindless busy work so he didn't worry and fret. He told himself he was worried about their brother who was to be executed, mainly because his life was in Altair's hands and if that novice screwed up he would die.

He sighed and looked up from his work with a scowl as the signal that displayed Altair's work went off and bells all across the city started to toll. Once again Altair had probably run into it sword swinging, letting everyone know he was there. Malik went out to the garden and closed the lattice.

That stupid novice.

* * *

><p>There, I updated this story. Stop fucking bothering me about it.<p> 


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